Learning Basic Social Skills: Part 2
by angelkittysmith
Summary: During the summer of 2017, I gather with my friends Carly Shay, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald, along with Carly's parents for occasional discussion groups at the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, as well as various outings around the Squirrel Hill area, as well as other areas in Pittsburgh. NOTE: I do not own iCarly or Wizards of Waverly Place.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Autism as a Social Movement

The next day, I met some of my best friends, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, Max Greenwald, Carly Shay, and Carly's parents, Sam and Freddie at the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill to discuss autism as a social movement. Some more people who joined me were my new best friend from East Liberty, Emily Mistle and her older brother, Michael and younger sister, Erin. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted back. "You are just in time for a discussion on autism as a social movement," Mrs. Shay told me. I introduced my new friend, Emily Mistle and her siblings to everyone before we got started. "When I first met Angel nearly 10 years ago, she told me that she had autism," Carly explained to everybody. "We would like to know what you guys think of Angel's disability," Mr. Benson chimed in. "So, what do you guys want to talk about?" Mrs. Shay asked. "I would like to discuss some goals of autism," Max chimed in. "Autism is basically how you see the world in a different way from others, and how you adjust to fit in with all the normal people." "I agree, Max," I told him. "I don't necessarily think that autistic people are bad people, like the Nazis from Germany were during the 1st and 2nd World Wars." "I can tell you about barriers of autism," Justin continued. "How you act, how you talk, and what people may perceive you as." "That's right, Justin," I agreed. "Going back to my connection with the Nazis, people perceived them as bad because they acted so mean and different." "Which may not necessarily be the case," Michael agreed. "We can take advantage of autism with positive programs promoting awareness in the community," Alex stated. "Every April, the University of Pittsburgh celebrated Autism Awareness Month, and they used to have a Pitt study which got cancelled. I believe it is not just Pitt, but other colleges and universities that raise awareness for autism." "I see what you are saying, Alex," I agreed. "I am in most groups for young adults who have autism, including one with all of my childhood friends who understand my disability really well." "Before we wrap up, I would like to discuss ableism," Carly suggested. "There was one person I met at the Pittsburgh Zoo who had autism, and she was able to pull herself together and tell everybody who she really was. If we are able to overcome our disabilities with strength and power, then we can show people who we really are." "Very good, Carly," I agreed. "Do you have anything else to add, Emily and Erin?" "I would like to wrap up with a list of jokes that my sister, Emily and I made," Erin told everyone. "I hope you guys understand these, because they would be just as hard for people to understand as having an autism disorder," Emily stated. We then went out to dinner in Homestead. We originally had plans to go to TGI Fridays, but since the place was packed, we ate at Red Robin instead. I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger, steak fries, and pink lemonade. I sat with Alex, Justin, and Max, while the Mistles sat with the Shays. "I remember the first time we went to Red Robin was after our band performance, and it was at the Mills Mall," Alex stated. Everyone shared bottomless steak fries, including me. However, everyone else got milkshakes rather than freckled lemonade. "Thanks for dinner, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Day of Meals

The next day, I met some of my other best friends, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, Max Greenwald, Carly Shay, and her parents, Sam and Freddie at Eat n' Park in Squirrel Hill for Sunday brunch. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Carly greeted back. "What do you like for breakfast, Angel?" Mrs. Shay asked. "What do you guys like?" I asked. "I like French toast sticks," Mr. Benson replied. "I like eggs with cheese in them," Mrs. Shay replied. "I like eggs without cheese," Carly replied. "This takes me back to 8th grade when I learned about how chickens lay eggs, leading me up to the question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" "I would say the chicken came first since it laid the egg," I replied. "But, the chicken came out of the egg," Carly disagreed. I ended up taking eggs, bacon, sausage, and mini muffins to eat. "That question also came to mind when I was dissecting the rat," I agreed. After I ate breakfast and drank my glass of milk, I spoke with Alex, Justin, and Max, who mainly got lunch food. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my other friends. "What are you guys eating for lunch?" "Cobb salad, turkey, and mashed potatoes," Alex replied. "Fried chicken, pierogies, and steamed vegetables," Justin replied. "Macaroni and cheese with biscuits," Max replied. "Thanks for having brunch with me here, Alex," I told my friend. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "I looked at the other ideas for outings that we could go on, and I do have set dates for some of them." "Like what?" I asked. "Well, we will join you at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club sometime in June to go swimming, the Monroeville Mall sometime in July for shopping..." "Yes, what else?" "We can also do some outings with Sarah and her stepbrothers later this summer," Alex continued. "Like going to see a movie at Lowe's Theater in the Waterfront on July 23, a trip to Sandcastle on August 6, and finally, a trip to Kennywood on August 20!" "Oooh, that all sounds like fun!" I remarked as I ate my food. "Do you want the rest of my turkey?" Alex asked me. "I don't want the rest of it." "No thanks," I replied. "I have had enough to eat." "We also have our autism banquet at the church in Squirrel Hill," Alex told me. "That's why you guys are all dressed up," I noticed. "You are, too," Alex told me. After we were finished with brunch, we got smiley cookies for dessert. Alex took Carly and me to get pedicures at Rainbow Nails. Carly chose a bright pink shade. Alex chose a light pink shade. I chose both to paint on every other toenail. I also noticed that Carly and Alex were wearing their same dresses that they wore for Easter weekend. We met Carly's parents and Alex's guy friends at the church for the autism banquet. There were many other kids, teenagers, and adults with autism who attended the banquet. The church also offered us a choice of two different meals: oven-fried fish or stuffed chicken breast, sirloin steak or roast beef, lasagna or penne with marinara sauce, baby potatoes or redskin potatoes, green beans almandine or glazed carrots, along with salad, rolls, beverages, and either carrot cake or regular cake. "This dinner reminds me of the Christmas season when I was a junior in high school, when we had a concert and then Christmas dinner afterwards," Alex remarked. "Wow, this is a lot of food that they have to eat," Carly noticed. "I know," I agreed. "I am choosing the healthier choices since I am trying to lose weight, and my stepmom thinks that I am fat." "Oh, that's ridiculous, Angel," Alex remarked. "You should just worry about eating right to be healthy, not just because of your weight, and you are not fat!" Then, it was time for cake. I obviously chose the carrot cake because it was better for me, even though I loved the design on the autism cake. "Thanks for a great day of fun, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Breakfast and Dinner

The next day, I met one of my friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, for breakfast at Pamela's P&G Diner in Squirrel Hill. "Hi, Carly!" I greeted my friend. "Hi, Angel!" Carly greeted back. "What are you in the mood to eat this morning, Carly?" Mrs. Shay asked. "I don't know, maybe eggs again, like last Sunday morning," Carly replied. "You should consider trying their Western omelets, Carly," Mr. Benson suggested. "Western omelets?" I asked. "I love them." "I remember we used to have a good neighbor by the name of Nevel who also loved Western omelets," Mrs. Shay continued. I ordered a glass of milk to go with my breakfast. "Oh, right," Carly replied. "At age 13, I first learned to love omelets." "I learned to like eggs at age 19, I believe," I told everybody. "Eggs are such a great source of protein," Mrs. Shay informed us. "I agree with Sam," Mr. Benson stated. We got our breakfasts. "What I like about Western omelets is the ham and the vegetables- everything particularly healthy about an omelet," I told everyone. Later that same day, I went with more of my friends Alex, Justin, and Max to Mineo's Pizza Place for dinner. "Hi, Alex!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "I remember the first time I came to Mineo's, when it was during the summer of 2010," Alex told us. "Same time I went away to school, huh?" I asked my friends. "Can we each get 2 slices of an 8-cut pizza?" Justin asked. "Pepperoni, please," Max requested. "Okay then," Alex agreed. "The order is set!" We also ordered drinks with our meals. "So Alex," I asked my friend, "are you still considering some of those outings I suggested this summer?" "Yes, we'll go to the Fox Chapel Yacht Club in June and the Monroeville Mall in July," Alex agreed. "And, what about those outings with Sarah, James, and Henri later in July and August?" I continued to ask. "We will go see a movie at Lowe's Theater with them on July 23, Sandcastle with them on August 6, and Kennywood with them on August 20," Alex reviewed with me. Pretty soon, we got our pizza. "Mmm, this is really good pizza," Max remarked. "I agree," Justin stated. "Really good." We paid for our food. "I am trying to watch how much I spend by budgeting," I informed my friends. "That's good," Alex remarked. "Thanks again for dinner, guys!" I told my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The End of Spring Picnic

The next day, I met some of my friends, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, Max Greenwald, Carly Shay, and Carly's parents, Sam and Freddie, at Lake Point Shelter for an end-of-the-year picnic. As a matter of fact, Alex drove me up from my mom's apartment. "Here we are at the picnic, Alex," I told my friend. "Uh-huh," Alex replied. "I brought something really yummy that I know you guys will enjoy." "What is it?" I asked. "Bundt cake," Alex replied. "My mom and stepdad helped me bake it." We also saw Alex's friends, Justin and Max, who drove up to the picnic. They brought chips and pretzels, and Max's signature macaroni and cheese. Carly and her parents, Sam and Freddie, also showed up with beverages and other desserts. There were lots of yummy things to eat at the picnic, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, pretzels, fruit salad, pie, and even some of the leftover stuffed chicken from the autism banquet. "Who made this macaroni and cheese?" Carly asked. "It's really yummy." "Max made it," Alex replied. Justin went to take some chips from a bag. "Aw man, they are almost out of potato chips," he noticed. "Does anybody like my macaroni and cheese?" Max asked. "Of course I do, Max," I replied. "It's really yummy." "I learned how to make macaroni and cheese when I was in 8th grade," Carly remembered. Mrs. Shay and Mr. Benson were cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. I filled up mainly on fruit, like blackberries, strawberries, watermelon, grapes, pineapple, and apple slices, since they were better for me. When the burgers and hot dogs were done cooking, I took both a hamburger and a hot dog, along with tortilla chips, pretzels, and more fruit. I also tried a piece of Alex's bundt cake. "I first tried bundt cake during the spring of my junior year of high school, and I loved it," Alex remembered. "That was why I wanted to try baking it myself for a change!" I also had Diet Coke, lemonade, and bottled water to drink. "Carly, Alex, will you girls do me a favor?" I asked. "Sure, what's that?" Carly asked. "Could you go up with me to West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield to visit my mom, who is in rehab?" I asked. "Sure, what happened?" Alex asked. "My mom broke her hand and foot in a car accident, and is in rehab for about a week," I explained. "Oh no!" Alex exclaimed. "I'm so sorry." Carly and Alex both gave me a hug. "Mom, is it okay if I go with Angel and Alex to go visit Angel's mom?" Carly asked. "Sure," Mrs. Shay agreed. "Go ahead," Mr. Benson also agreed. "Thanks for a great picnic, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" Bye!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Age and Ageism

The next day, I met more of my best friends, Carly Shay and Alex Russo, in Squirrel Hill. We went to get an ice cream at Rita's with beer in a stein glass. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted back. "What are you guys dressed up for?" I asked as I noticed that Carly had on a blue jean dress and Alex had on a plum-colored dress. "We went to church this morning," Carly told me. "We also had lunch afterwards, and they had leftover spaghetti marinara from the banquet," Alex added. "I just had lunch at Eat n' Park with my other friend, Emily and her younger siblings," I told my friends. We then walked up to the Squirrel Hill library, where we met Carly's parents, Sam and Freddie, and Alex's guy friends, Justin and Max. "You are just in time for a discussion on age and ageism," Mrs. Shay told me. "What do you guys know about age and ageism?" Mr. Benson asked. "I hate to say this, but when I met Angel at age 13, I still had an interest in Disney movies, and didn't want to tell anybody," Carly told me. "That's okay, Carly," I told her. "I liked Disney movies then, and I still do now." "My favorite Disney movie is _Pocahontas_ ," Carly told me. "What is yours?" "That's easy- _Aladdin_ ," I told her. "Is there anything that you have to say regarding ageism?" I asked Alex. "Well, when I went to the University of Pittsburgh and was one of the oldest in my graduating class, I felt like I was the "grandma" of my class," Alex told us. "That's perfectly normal, Alex," Justin pointed out. "At Mercyhurst, everyone thought that I was incredibly smart for my age." "However, at IUP, I used this experience to teach the younger students what I have learned about ageism," Max chimed in. "I want to tell you about my thoughts on ageism," I told everyone. "Alex, Justin, Max, I am not sure if you guys know this, but I do not go visit the Highlands High School marching band anymore since they are all too young for me now." "I never visit anybody in the MSG Academy Marching Band anymore, because they are all much too young for me, and especially my last year at Pitt." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "Boy, I am so glad to be done with college now," she told us. "Now, I can get a permanent career working at the Carnegie Museum of Oakland." "I graduated from college, too, I just found out," I told everybody. "Oh wow!" Carly remarked. "Congratulations, Angel!" "Thanks, Carly," I thanked my friend. "We really are all growing up," Alex stated. "Do you all want to go out to dinner with me?" I asked all of my friends. "Sure," Carly agreed. We went to Longhorn Steakhouse in Homestead to eat dinner. I sat with Carly and Alex, while Mrs. Shay and Mr. Benson sat with Justin and Max. Alex ordered a grilled chicken and strawberry salad, while Carly and I both ordered hand-breaded chicken tenders. I ordered mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, while Carly ordered a sweet potato with cinnamon sugar and butter and signature macaroni and cheese. "Even though I excelled in school, I found it a very stressful experience," Alex told us, "especially when studying for my SAT exams." "I totally know how you feel, Alex," Carly agreed. "I felt the same way," I told my parents. "I had to have a lot of discipline from my parents in order to succeed in life." "Yes, Mom and Mason disciplined me a lot and I worked hard in both high school and college, though didn't get quite as high grades in college as in high school." "Well, thanks for dinner, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A Busy Day

The next day, I met my best friend, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie at Pamela's P&G Diner in Squirrel Hill. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Carly greeted me. "You're just in time for breakfast," Mrs. Shay added. I decided to order pancakes topped with Greek yogurt, chopped pecans, and a bit of maple syrup with applewood smoked bacon on the side and a glass of juice to drink. "So how has your week been, Angel?" Mr. Benson asked. "It was great," I replied. "Thank you for asking!" "Mom, didn't I learn how to cook pancakes one day in January when I was in 8th grade?" Carly asked. "Yes, you did, Carly," Mrs. Shay agreed. Soon, we got our breakfasts and I enjoyed mine. Afterwards, I joined more of my friends, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald at Heinz Hall in downtown Pittsburgh for a sensory-friendly concert entitled "Music of Flight and Fantasy" performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. "Hi, guys!" I greeted everybody else. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted me. "You look nice, Alex," I complimented my friend. "Thanks, Angel," Alex replied. "You do, too." "I think that dress still fits you, and you have had it since your freshman or sophomore year of high school," I remarked. "It does," Alex agreed. Alex, Justin, Max, and I got lunch at the 7-Eleven just before the concert began, in which I got a cobb salad. "I remember when we came to the Heinz Hall sometimes as teenagers," Justin stated. "I do too, Justin," Max agreed. "We went for some holiday concerts and just-for-fun concerts, too." We also did some pre-concert activities at Heinz Hall before the concert began. The songs included in the concert included "Flight to Neverland" from _Hook,_ "Pure Imagination" from _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,_ "Flight of the Bumblebee" from _The Tale of Tsar Sultan,_ "The Enchanted Garden" from _The Suite of Mother Goose,_ a suite from _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ entitled "Harry's Wondrous World", "Fluffy and Harp" from _Harry Potter,_ "Scene Dancers" from _The Suite from Swan Lake,_ "Flying Theme" from _E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Over the Rainbow,_ and the main title of the suite from _Star Wars._ "Great concert, guys!" I exclaimed. "Uh-huh," Alex agreed. "Let's go meet Carly Shay and her parents at Squirrel Hill Market Night tonight," I told my friends. "Sure," Alex agreed. "That sounds like fun!" We left for Squirrel Hill Market Night, which featured market vendors, live music, and various food trucks. My friends and I got the Pierogi Truck, in which I weirdly ordered baby potatoes with arugula pesto and a Diet Coke, while Alex, Justin, and Max all ordered pierogi and halushki platters. Carly and her parents came over. "They have a Mineo's Pizza food truck here, Alex," Carly told Alex. "That's nice, Carly," Alex agreed. "But, I have got to have Pittsburgh's Pierogies because my parents order them every week during Lent!" "That's funny, Alex," I stated. "My parents do, too." "This festival reminds me of that birthday party I went to at Breckenridge Heights Country Club, except less wild," Alex recalled. "I have an idea," I thought to myself. "Wait right here, guys!" I went to the popsicle truck and got popsicles for Carly and her parents, as well as Alex and her guy friends. "Here you go, guys!" I told my friends. "A special treat from the Squirrel Hill Night Market!" I handed out popsicles to each of my friends. Pretty soon, it was time for me to head home. "Thanks for a great yet busy day, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A New Restaurant

The next day, I drove up with my friends Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald to a restaurant I have never been before called Jim's Famous Sauce. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted me. "What is this CD you guys are listening to?" I asked. "This is a band called Expose," Justin explained to me. "One of the greatest bands of the 1990s," Max stated. "That's cool," I remarked. "Where is Jim's Famous Sauce located, and what does it serve?" "It is located in West Mifflin," Justin explained to me. "They serve really good hot dogs and other food," Max stated. "We are also meeting Carly Shay and her parents there," Alex explained to me. We arrived at the new restaurant and saw one of my other friends, Carly Shay, and her parents, Sam and Freddie, there. "Hi, guys!" I greeted everybody else. "Hi, Angel!" Carly greeted me. "This restaurant is one of my favorite places," Mrs. Shay told me. "It's one of mine, too," Mr. Benson agreed. They each got a hot dog, a basket of French fries, and a milkshake. I ordered a lightened bacon cheeseburger, Alex ordered chicken tenders with fries, Justin ordered a bacon cheeseburger with fries, and Max ordered a chili cheese dog with fries. "I have never been to this restaurant before, Carly," I told my friend. "Neither have I," Carly agreed. "Sometimes it's good to try new things," Mrs. Shay reminded her daughter. "Didn't I try going to a new restaurant once with your coworker, Valerie once?" Carly asked her stepdad. "Yes, you did, Carly," Mr. Benson remembered. "It was mainly seafood though, and I didn't really like it," Carly remembered. "There are lots of good seafood restaurants out on Penn Avenue," Mrs. Shay told me. I walked over to where Alex, Justin, and Max were sitting. "So Alex, was this your idea to come here?" I asked. "Of course," Alex replied. "I thought it would be a nice day for an outdoor picnic since it is sunny and not too hot, not too cold outside." "I thought you liked warm weather, Alex," I told my friend. "Yes, but not excessively warm weather," Alex explained to me. "Heck, I was almost worried that this summer would be a repeat of last summer." "I would be okay with that," I told my friend. "That was what summer was like when we were all friends!" "Yes, but not every summer will be like those 3 summers we were friends or even last summer," Alex disagreed. "I even remember once I was at the Brackenridge Heights Country Club swimming pool, and it was too hot for me to swim. It was in August, I believe." "Last summer was very similar to 2010," I told Alex. "That doesn't mean this summer will be similar to 2011, though." "No, it won't," Alex agreed. "Are you coming to Alex's 4th of July party next weekend?" Justin asked me. "It should be fun," Max agreed. "Sure," I replied. "It will be at noon at my apartment," Alex told me. "We are going to have a small cookout, watch fireworks, and play board games." "So, I think it will be you, me, Justin, Max, Carly, Mrs. Shay, Mr. Benson, Sarah, James, and Henri who are invited," I tried to remember. "That's correct," Alex agreed. "And my mom and stepdad, Mason will be here to chaperone the party!" Alex and her guy friends drove me back to Mom's apartment. "Thanks for a great dinner, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Swimming at the Yacht Club

The next day, I met some of my friends Carly Shay, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald, as well as Carly's parents, Sam and Freddie at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club to go swimming. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted back. "Isn't it a beautiful day to go swimming?" I asked my friends. "It sure is," Carly agreed. "When we first moved to Natrona Heights, we wanted to get a membership at the Brackenridge Heights Country Club, but Carly wasn't so sure about it," Mrs. Shay told me. "But once you tried it, you liked it," Mr. Benson added. "Mom, Freddie, is it okay if I play with Angel and Alex in the pool?" Carly asked. "Sure," Mrs. Shay agreed. "Do whatever you want." We ended up wearing a whole rainbow of swimsuits. I wore red, Carly wore pink, Alex wore purple, Mrs. Shay wore orange, Mr. Benson wore yellow, Justin wore blue, and Max wore green. I got into the pool and swam laps. "So what's the deal with your 4th of July party, Alex?" I asked my friend. "I have some bad news," Alex told us. "What's that, Alex?" Carly asked. "My parents already have plans to watch fireworks and they want me to come," Alex asked, "so I will not have time to host a party." "Aw man, that stinks!" I stated. "Are Sarah and her brothers doing anything?" Alex asked. "Why don't you ask them to host a luncheon?" "I don't know about that," I replied. "I can ask them, but they might already have other plans and not know that your party is cancelled." "Although I think you picked a good day for us to go swimming, Angel," Carly remarked. "Uh-huh," Alex agreed. " I remember Memorial Day weekend my junior year of high school when we had a picture-perfect weekend to go swimming." "The spring and summer of 2010 were already picture-perfect in general," I reminded everyone. "Can't wait until we have a repeat of that time period again- not including last year, of course!" "I'm hungry," Carly remarked. "Do you want to get some dinner with us?" Alex offered. "Sure," I agreed. Max and I both got a super hot dog with a bag of chips, Justin got a cheeseburger with fries, Mrs. Shay got a hamburger with fries, Mr. Benson got a grilled cheese sandwich with a bag of chips, and Carly and Alex both ordered chicken tenders with fries. Afterwards, I offered to get everybody ice cream treats from the vending machine. "Can you guys believe that Alex's party got cancelled?" I asked Justin and Max. "Yeah, it shocked me," Justin agreed. "But, her parents already have plans, so what can we do about it?" Max asked. Pretty soon, it was getting late and I was getting ready to head home. "Thanks for a great day swimming, guys!" I thanked everyone. "You're welcome, Angel," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Autism in the News

The next day, I met one of my other best friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, at Pamela's P&G Diner in Squirrel Hill. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Carly greeted back. "What are you in the mood for today?" Mrs. Shay asked. "Waffles with bacon," I replied. "I remember one spring morning when we made waffles for breakfast, Carly," Mr. Benson remembered. "Oh yeah, when the weather was getting warmer and I was in 8th grade," Carly remembered. "Come to think of it, I will have some waffles and bacon, too!" Later that day, we joined some more of my friends Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald for a discussion group at Carnegie Library about autism in the news. "There is a special event going on regarding autism this coming Saturday at the South Side," Mrs. Shay reminded us. "Don't miss it," Mr. Benson chimed in. "I will share my thoughts on this topic later," Carly continued. "Alex, why don't you say what you have to say first?" "Okay," Alex agreed. She cleared her throat. "Most newspapers state that there is no right age to finish college, such as in mine and Angel's cases, for example." "There have been a lot more jobs regarding autism that people take, such as when someone autistic does something special to make the community a better place," Justin pointed out. "Like this one young teenager who practiced tutoring younger kids and gave it all he got," Max told everyone, "and just so you know, the young kid was quite amazed with his memory and skills!" "That is pretty amazing, Max," I agreed. "And, Justin himself is a teacher. Although, Justin doesn't have autism, while Alex does." Carly also talked about what she saw on various PBS shows like _Arthur_ and _Sesame Street_ regarding autism. "I can't go out to dinner with you guys tonight because some of my relatives are joining me for a turkey dinner at my house," Carly told everyone. "That's okay, Carly," I remarked. "Some of my best friends, Emily, Michael, and Erin Mistle will join us at the Uno Chicago Grill for dinner!" After discussion group was over, Alex, Justin, Max, and I drove up to Uno Chicago Grill in Homestead for dinner. Emily, Michael, and Erin joined us there. "Hi, Alex!" Emily greeted. "It's good to see you again!" "It's good to see you too, Emily," Alex agreed. "What made you want to come here?" Emily asked. "Well, Emily, I was reminded of when I first came here my senior year as I was about to graduate from high school, and Justin reminded me to try something new," Alex told Emily. "Michael is always reminding me to try new things, too," Emily pointed out. "Why didn't you guys come to Longhorn Steakhouse with us last month?" Justin asked Michael. "Because I had plans to cook a lasagna dinner for all of us to eat," Michael explained. "It's okay, guys," I pointed out. "Carly's family couldn't come tonight because of the turkey dinner." "Erin, what have you been doing?" Max asked. "I am still trying to figure out a career I would like to have since I just graduated from college," Erin told Max. We all ordered our beverages, in which Emily, Michael, Erin, and I ordered wine and spirits. Emily, Michael, Erin, and I also ordered pizza, while Alex and Justin ordered Caesar salads, and Justin got a skinless baked potato with his meal, and Max ordered a hamburger and French fries. "Does anybody want dessert or anything else to eat?" I asked my friends. "Michael has a snack for all of us to eat in the car, Angel," Emily reminded me. "I have crackers for us to eat," Michael told us. "You like graham crackers with peanut butter and jelly, right?" "Correct," I replied. "I like to eat graham crackers, too," Erin chimed in. "Only I like chocolate-hazelnut spread and sliced strawberries on my graham crackers." Alex, Justin, and Max ordered a Deep Dish Brownie Sundae, in which they could split together. "I probably don't want anything like that, since my tummy really can't afford that," I told Emily, Michael, and Erin. "And certainly not Ritz crackers with cheddar cheese on them!" "I guess we should get going, huh, girls?" Michael asked us. "Thanks for a great day, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: A Trip to Monroeville Mall

The next day, Emily and I met some more of my best friends Carly Shay, Alex Russo, Justin Evans, and Max Greenwald, as well as Carly's parents, Sam and Freddie. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Alex greeted back. "I wonder why we can't go swimming again, Mom," Carly told her mom. "It is a beautiful day outside." "We chose to go shopping today," Mrs. Shay told Carly. "We need to go with Justin and Max to buy some things," Mr. Benson agreed. "Maybe, they will have some summer gear at Dick's Sporting Goods," Justin wondered. "We could also go to Ace's Breakaway and play some games," Max chimed in. We separated into groups. I walked around with Emily, Carly, and Alex, while Mrs. Shay, Mr. Benson, Justin, and Max walked around as a separate group. First, we went to Go! Calendars to buy some _Despicable Me_ merchandise, since we were going to see the movie. "I remember another time when I was stuck in the mall buying various toys during summer when I was 14 years old," Carly remembered. Then, we went to H&M so Carly and Alex could buy new dresses and shoes for a Saturday night event in downtown Pittsburgh. "I was stuck in the mall buying clothes during winter when I was 16 years old," Alex remembered. "Also because it was a nice day outside!" "If we have time, then maybe we will go to Angel's favorite store, Party City," Emily told everyone. "It's what I think about every time I work at Goodwill hanging up clothes as a cashier," I told everyone. "It is the singing birthday cards that I think about!" "That's cool," Carly remarked. "Speaking of parties, we heard that you were in charge of your brother's party this past Friday. Is that true?" "Yes, Carly," Emily remarked. "It is true." "It was at Settler's Cabin Wave Pool," I added. "Have you been there?" "No, I haven't," Alex remarked buying a dress and shoes. "It was actually in January when I was stuck at the mall buying a new dress and shoes for a party that I did not have until my birthday in May." "That was interesting," I told my friend. After we went to Party City for a bit, we saw _Despicable Me 3_ at the Cinemark theater prior to eating dinner at the food court, in which we met up with Carly's parents and Alex's friends. Emily and I ate rice bowls, while Carly ate orange chicken and vegetables, and Alex ate a turkey and cheese sub sandwich from Subway. We also got dessert, in which Emily and I got milkshakes, as we had bowls of yogurt during the movie, while Carly ate a bag of popcorn, and then a vanilla frozen yogurt cone. Alex also ate a soft pretzel, and then a strawberry banana-flavored smoothie. "It also stinks that the Dairy Queen closed here," I told everyone. "It had the best ice cream treats and smoothies!" "I know," Emily agreed. "I loved their ice cream, too." Pretty soon, it was time for me and Emily to go home. "Thanks for a great day at the mall, everyone!" I told my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Alex replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


End file.
